Arrests made in death of 2-year-old

Claude Alexis, Cierrah Raphael charged in Ezra Raphael's death

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - The North Miami Beach Police Department on Tuesday arrested 32-year-old Claude Alexis and 22-year-old Cierrah Raphael in the death of a 2-year-old boy.

Police were called to a home for a sick and unresponsive child on Thursday. The victim, Ezra Raphael, was transported to Jackson North Medical Center after he was found unconscious.

The boy was later pronounced dead. The medical examiner ruled he died from blunt force trauma.

According to the arrest report, Alexis, who lives with Raphael and the boy, hit him in the back after waking up to find water running in the bathroom. Alexis called 911 after the boy became unconscious.

Police charged Alexis with first-degree murder and child abuse.

The victim's mother, Cierrah Raphael, 22, who was at work at the time of the incident, was also arrested Tuesday and charged with child neglect.

Evidence showed that the child had been left home unattended and uncared for repeatedly by Cierrah, police said.

A woman who lives next door to Alexis, who asked not to be identified, said she heard a commotion late Thursday night.

"I heard some noise. I thought it was because of the Heat game going on," the woman said.

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